Upbeats: Just Thought You Should Know
by Etsuke Hansamora
Summary: With a week of Ouran Academy behind them, you'd think Furukia and Zakia Notoski could finally find something resembling normal. No such luck. Enjoy the budding romances and the laughs as things start to get better for all of the Notoskis, and life changing events occur for everyone. This is a sequel to So Cold They Burn: Thawing the Notoski Twins. *hint hint* Read that first.
1. Monday Morning

So. My weekend passed in a blur of writing music, talking to Kyoya, and pain. A lot of pain. But I got through it. I had to be strong for Furukia.

I titled my song 'The First Song'. I just thought it fit. I finished writing the sheet music, too. One complete song. The only problem: I didn't have a band to record it with. It wasn't a problem I had much time to think about.

Monday came around, and getting up was more difficult than usual. Furukia and I managed.

At school, it seemed like everyone was staring at me, the kid in the wheelchair. Why was I in a wheelchair? More importantly, why was I at this prestigious school in a wheelchair? This was a place for the beautiful and rich.

Kids at Ouran Academy were not used to seeing someone who wasn't perfectly healthy and gorgeous at their school. That much was obvious. But everyone was careful to avoid mentioning it when they talked to me. Furukia's and my popularity had shot through the roof as the girls from the club spread the story of how I heroically saved Furukia. It seemed that everyone now knew our names.

School passed by in boredom. Furukia and I might as well be geniuses for how much further our schools in England were. Furukia was happy flirting with Hikaru, and Haruhi was quiet in front of us, reading a book. Kaoru sat beside me, but he didn't talk. I wasn't surprised. I wonder how he felt about me, after having chosen Kyoya over him and then beating him when he challenged me to a fight?

My sister and I had never asked for this spotlight on our lives. In fact, we probably could've gone the whole rest of the year without hardly being noticed. We only made on giant mistake. We stumbled in on the Host Club. With our boyish appearances and generally decent looks, Tamaki Suoh had immediately immersed us into the world of the Host Club.

Furukia and I had some pretty wild adventures our first week in Japan, to say the least.

In one week, I'd gone from having rarely kissed a guy and only having made with one once to having one of the hottest guys in school as my boyfriend. The other hottest guys in school were some of my best friends. Hikaru and Furukia like each other, although neither has the guts to ask the other out yet. We met another crossdresser girl, named Haruhi, and wouldn't you know it, she's a host too. Furukia and I became hosts at the Host Club. We've met a couple of people outside of the club who we're just starting to get to know, Ritsu Kasanoda, and Hotaru Amaya. Oh, and then there was the wheelchair.

Yes, the wheelchair was rather new. I'd gotten in a couple of fights on Friday. Four fights, actually. I'd ended the day with a broken rib and a fractured leg. You could say I'm not entirely pleased with being stuck in a chair for a couple months. Furukia thinks I have ADD or ADHD and that's why I can't sit still. Well, now she's almost sure of it. I'm getting sick of the chair, constantly wanting to move, do something. It's only been three days.

Yes, this was our new life in Japan. Now that we'd gotten through the first week, I was hoping for things to settle down, or at the very least, get into a routine. Wouldn't you just know it, things don't happen that way for the Host Club.


	2. Planning a Date

Lonely. That was how I felt when I was stuck in this classroom, a floor above her, unable to see her bright smile.

But it was not as it used to be. No, she had brought light, joy, and love into my life. Before, my life was cold, calculated, intentional. I did nothing without reason. But when she appeared in the school records three weeks ago, I knew. I didn't have to meet her. I just knew that when she got here, she was going to be the girl that drove me crazy.

I was just fine being driven crazy by Zakia Notoski.

I had tried to ignore my feelings for Zakia. When she first got here, she almost immediately latched onto Kaoru Hitachiin. Well, actually, I suppose it was more so that Kaoru latched onto her. But however you like to put it, I tried to leave them be, and let Zakia be happy. I could keep my feelings hidden, stay in the background, stay disconnected. I would've let my life go on just as it had been.

But she smiled at me. I don't quite remember why the first time, but she did it. Her gaze was focused on mine, and her attention was on me, and she smiled at me, not anybody else. She had a cute smile.

And then, we shared a laugh. It was rather funny, watching my best friend get irritated. He was just so comical and dramatic about it. Zakia and I had been standing in a line at an amusement park to get some water, watching the other hosts, and we just lost it. We laughed together. She shared her thoughts with me. Up on the roof of this very school. She and her sister were trying to avoid the club, and I was the one who found them. Zakia liked watching the clouds and stargazing. As we were leaving, I tried to push her away again, tried to distance myself. I told her I wasn't important, that she should be with Kaoru. That things would end up that way so long as things between us didn't advance.

It hurt her. I could see her pain. She told me I was important to her, and that she was the judge of my worth to her. She asked me what I would if she didn't want to be with Kaoru. I told her I'd hold her in my arms, and take her as mine. I promised not to abandon her like her mother had. We kissed. Not just any kiss. She had taken me into a room secluded away from most of the activity in her house. We talked for a while, but then...her lips on mine. A fierce, undeniable longing. I kissed her deeply, and enjoyed her taste of vanilla and lavender. And when I let her go, an aching feeling in my heart as I watched her have another bad conversation with Kaoru. I told her. Three simple words that mean so much. I couldn't help it. It was how I felt. I do love her. She has brought love into my life. Now, I don't think I could ever go back to living as I had before, cold, cruel. she'd shown me her vulnerable side. Now, I had to protect her.

Yeah, I was in love. Thoughts of Zakia had taken the place of my boredom. I was turning into such a fool.

When the bell rang for lunch, I walked down to Zakia and Furukia's floor. Hikaru and I carried Zakia straight up the stairs, since the ramps would take too long.

At the club, Tamaki didn't announce any new events, but in preparation for Friday, Tamaki had Hikaru and Furukia dance together. I sat in a chair next to Zakia. She didn't seem too bothered by pain, but she was definitely irked by her reliance on the chair until she was allowed to walk again. She had so much excess energy.

When the bell rang again, signaling two minutes before class, Tamaki handed Furukia and Zakia each a brown paper bag. Inside were numerous gifts and cards from our clients.

"Um…"

"Most of it is probably get well cards and chocolate."

"Why would they go to all the trouble? It's not like I'm stuck in a hospital."

"No, you're just confined to a wheelchair." My fist clenched involuntarily as I remembered what someone had done to her.

There was a gentle touch on my shoulder, and I opened my eyes, looking over to see Zakia's concerned face. I held my hand against her cheek, giving her a smile. I didn't want her to worry about me right now.

Hikaru and I carried her back downstairs in time for the afternoon classes, and carried her up again after class. While the other hosts entertained the girls, Zakia and Furukia stealing much of the attention again, I kept to the shadows. I couldn't help it when my eyes drifted over to her. She just had this kind of magnetic pull. Her smile brightened my mood. When I heard her laugh I couldn't help smiling.

I'll admit. I was supposed to be making fan booklets for the girls of each of the hosts. But I wanted to catch each host in natural environments. Sometimes the girls made that difficult. I think the hardest part of the booklets was catching myself in a natural way. That's why I had Haruhi take the shots of me.

By the end of the day, I thankfully had decent shots. I didn't know what I would do about Zakia, though. How do you make a person in a wheelchair cute?

I sat at my little cafe table by the window, and started putting the booklets together while the others cleaned. There was a tap on my shoulder. Behind me, Zakia had rolled herself over with her arms. She seemed almost...nervous

"What is it?"

"Oh, n-nothing, really, I-I was just wondering if…" She didn't seem able to carry on speaking, and a bright blush colored her cheeks. I couldn't help laughing.

Her blush deepened and she looked away, rolling half a wheel back.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. You're just so cute when you're nervous. What did you want to ask me?"

"I was just wondering...if you had any plans this weekend," she managed, clamping her mouth shut when she was done.

"As a matter of fact, I do. There's this really special girl to me. I love her. I'm going to take her on a date."

Zakia's eyes widened, and her blush spread to the tips of her ears. She glanced at the table, and her blush started fading as a puzzled expression crossed her face.

"What are you doing?"

"The club has to make money for all of Tamaki's ridiculous ideas, so I create various merchandise that the girls seem to enjoy buying. They like the fan booklets the best. I've just started making a new set."

"Fan booklets?"

She picked up the only one I had finished so far, a booklet for Tamaki. She flipped through it, but didn't start squealing like I'd seen some of the girls do. She didn't flush with embarrassment, either.

"What do you think?"

"I think it's a great idea if the girls like it."

"But?"

"But why are all the pictures so...I don't know. Plain? Why not try to get shots of the hosts actually doing something? I'm sure it'd be far more entertaining, the girls would love it, and you could raise prices a little bit."

All I could do was stare at her. She was giving me advice on this. Haruhi had been horrified when she'd learned of the ways the club made money.

"What? If you don't think it's a good idea, don't bother. I'm just saying, eventually the girls will get tired of seeing the exact same things over and over."

"This doesn't bother you?"

"No. Should it? If it's the way the club makes money for all the expensive tea sets and such nonsense, then that's how it makes money. As long as there isn't anything too incriminating, there's no harm in it."

"I plan to make one of you and Furukia."

"With which pictures?"

"Well, as this is your introductory issue, there won't be as many pictures as there will be information about the two of you. Interests, hobbies, favorites, dislikes, etcetera."

"But you don't know a lot of those things."

"Maybe not. But that's the point of a date, isn't it?"

"I don't want a relationship based around the club, Kyoya. If that's the only reason you want to take me out this weekend, the answer is no."

Kyoya. No Kyoya-senpai, no Shadow King, no Mr. Ootori, no vice-pres. Just Kyoya. I hadn't realised before that Zakia had never called me by a title, but now, it kind of startled me to realise I enjoyed it. I liked hearing her say my name.

"That isn't why. Yes, I intend to learn more about you, but that's just what happens on dates. I want to take you on a date because I want to. I don't have it planned out or anything, but I want to take you somewhere simple. Nothing big and fancy. No dressing up, no acting polite, no aristocracy. Something any commoner would do."

"Like, something a boy might've taken me to do in England?"

"Yes."

Zakia thought about this for a long time. "Well, the most common thing for a guy from our area to do was take his date to the mall. Always the same mall. It's where everybody went. The guy normally did that just to show all his friends and all of her friends that they were together. It's a big claiming ritual kind of thing."

I laughed. Commoner boys were rather...petty, I suppose.

"What? I always thought it was really cute and sweet, the way the guy wanted to show off to the world that he liked this girl." When the only thing that changed was my shocked expression, Zakia added on, "I mean, I wouldn't want to do that. Cute and sweet isn't really my thing. But watching some of the other girls do it, with their bright blushes, and the guys so nervous just to hold her hand...it was funny in a cute way."

"What is your thing?"

"Huh?"

"You said cute and sweet isn't really your thing. So, what is your thing?"

"I thought that would be obvious to you by now, Kyoya," she teased, grinning. Furukia came by and started to pull her away. She called back over her shoulder, "I just can't resist the bad boys."

And the door closed behind them.

I laughed, long and loud and full. I didn't care that the others stared at me like I'd lost it. I laughed. Then I got my things together and headed home.

I preferred walking home that night. It was cool, but not cold, and the breeze felt nice. I looked up at the stars, and couldn't help wondering if Zakia was doing the same thing.

What to do Saturday? I mean, I'd heard some of the girls call me a bad boy, but I had never gave it much thought. What did it really mean to be a bad boy? What would a bad boy take his girl to do on a Saturday?

At home, the first thing I did was look up the definition of a bad boy. Apparently they were hot, rebel guys that didn't do what the regular guys did. They took their girlfriends skateboarding or skydiving or to their house or out for a walk in the dark, and other more hard edged activities. Basically just taking her to the wild side of life, the wrong side of the tracks.

No wonder Zakia liked bad boys. She was a rebel to her core.

And, now I could see a glimpse of what the girls meant about me being a bad boy. I'd only ever taken one girl on a date. She wasn't my girlfriend, just someone my father wanted me to take out. So I took her out for a drive. Of course, by drive, I mean I took her to a race. Even after I won, the girl wasn't impressed, calling me several choice names and claiming she'd never go on a date with me again.

Would Zakia really be interested in any of my activities outside of school and home? No one else seemed to take notice of the fact that I tended to enjoy risky behaviour. Of course, if anyone else ever knew, they'd probably wonder if I'd been possessed. I was calculating, dependable, and people expected me to be boring and plain. I couldn't help it if the myth of a split personality under my star sign, Scorpio, was true in me.

The next three days passed in much the same way as Monday had. And every day, I still couldn't think of what to take Zakia out for.

A sudden idea occurred to me on Friday morning as I got ready for school. Certainly risky. Likely to start rumors. The possibility of my father's displeasure and being slapped in public again. But I didn't mind. Zakia would always remember our first date.


	3. Subtle Shifts

It was Friday morning. Zakia wasn't difficult to get up since the fights, probably because of pain. However, there was now a different difficulty; helping her get around. I wasn't strong like Zakia or any of the boys at the club. Even Haruhi was probably stronger than I was. It was difficult for me to get Zakia into her wheelchair.

And then there was getting downstairs. Zakia helped the best she could, but I knew she was in pain as I half carried, half pushed her down the stairs. At school, everyone was always staring a Zakia because she was in a wheelchair. A few people talked to us in the halls, asking if the rumors were true and Zakia had really saved me.

Ritsu Kasanoda found us that morning, too. "Hey, Zakia. I'd heard you'd gotten hurt, but I didn't know how. What happened that put you in the chair?"

"Before my fight with you, one of my ribs was broken. After my fight with you, I also had a fractured leg."

"Oh, jeez...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I knew going in that I'd probably get hurt. I'm just not as big as most of those guys. Are your legs alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. They only hurt for a couple of days. I was walking around again by Monday. Little sore, but that's all."

"I'm glad you're alright."

"You already knew I would be."

"Maybe. But it's good to hear you say it anyways."

"How are you, Furukia?" His sudden question to me threw me off.

"Oh, I'm alright. I'm not exactly a fighter. I've just been worried about my brother. I don't know when he'll be up and moving again, but he's already gotten impatient. He hates being reliant on others."

Ritsu nodded, expecting this. "Your brother has quite the fighting style. Pretty determined, too, if he fought with a broken rib. Heard he had one more after fighting me, too."

"I was stupid," Zakia spoke up. In her voice, I didn't hear pity, remorse, guilt, or any of the things most injured people felt. She was mad, at herself.

"Don't criticise yourself too hard."

"That's all it was. I was stupid. And now I'm stuck in this stupid chair, causing my brother pain as he tries to help me with everything. I'm forced to rely on him, and that isn't fair."

"Then heal up quick. If you don't want to be stuck this way, do something to change it."

"Don't encourage him," I scolded Ritsu. "If he gets up too soon, he could hurt himself."

"I'm already hurt, Furukia. What's the worst that could happen?"

I sighed. Ritsu chuckled. Zakia glared down at her legs, filled with self hate.

"I admire your spirit, kid. Maybe you should join one of the martial arts clubs."

"I have a club already."

"Right, right. The Host Club. Do you actually like it there?"

"They're our friends. They took us in without a second thought, even after they learned a kind of important secret of ours," I answered for us both.

"Okay, I can understand all that. So you all are buddies. But is hosting something you actually want to do, actually enjoy?"

"Well...Zakia and I have a few dreams, but the possibility of them coming true is probably slim."

"I think the two of you could accomplish anything you put your minds to. You've only been here for two weeks, and already, the school seems to have changed a little bit. I don't know what's so different about you to, but there's something in the air. Something is different."

"What's so different?" I asked, wondering just what could have happened.

"Well, for one thing, you know Kyoya Ootori, right? I would think so, since he's a host. I think I saw him smile yesterday in class. Like, a real smile. And there's this girl in your grade, named Hotaru. I don't know if you've met her, but she's been coming out more. Not as shy. But those are just a couple of things I've noticed."

Zakia and I shrugged simultaneously. Neither of us knew how our arrival could really make much of a difference.

"Anyways, I'll catch you guys later. I've gotta get to class. See ya," he called as he headed upstairs.

I took Zakia to class, and we sat in our usual places. Zakia had to share a desk with me until she could sit in one of the school desks with the chairs attached. Inside my desk this morning, there was a little piece of pink paper. Opening it revealed it to be a love note from some girl. It was for me. I searched around and found two more notes, both for Zakia.

"This keeps getting weirder and weirder," Zakia muttered.

I couldn't disagree.

"Hey, Kaoru, look. Zakia and Furukia are starting to get love notes from the girls."

Hikaru and Kaoru shared a good laugh at that, but I couldn't help noticing how Kaoru's seemed forced. He made jokes about it with Hikaru all morning, but he just didn't seem particularly interested.

"Hey, Kaoru, you alright?" I asked at lunch.

"Not really, but I don't expect you to care."

"Just because Zakia doesn't feel the same way about you, doesn't mean you have to shut everybody out. Zakia wants to be friends with you, even if she doesn't want to be more than that."

"Have you ever had someone reject you? Just totally and completely reject you?"

"Yes."

Kaoru blinked, surprised. "Well, you know how it feels then."

"You want to know what helped me get over it?"

"What?"

"Zakia. The way she handles things is...a little different. She has this kind of mentality that puts her ahead of the game. She focuses on what she wants, and doesn't pay too much attention to anything else. And if she finds she can't do something, she changed focus. She knows that, even if she can't something now, she might be able to someday. She's taught me not to take it too hard when something I want doesn't happen."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"If you have a problem, you can always talk to her as a friend. And you have other friends you can talk to. Just don't shut people out because you're upset."

"You can't tell me Zakia hasn't done that before."

"She hasn't. Zakia knows when it's best to move on. She knows when something won't happen. Sometimes she comes back to those things, sometimes not. Like her dream of singing."

"Whatever. None of this is helping."

"I can't help you figure out how to be a friend. That's something you have to figure out."

I got up from my seat and met Hikaru by the door. Zakia had taken to rolling around with her arms when she could, trying to do anything to take the hardship away from everyone else. Still, she waited at the stairs, head hanging. Kyoya said something to her as he met her there, and she sat up.

However, she seemed really deep in thought, because she glanced at him, said a meager hello, and went back to her lap. Zakia doesn't stare at her lap for no reason. And she doesn't blow people off. What could she be doing?

At the club, Hikaru led me around in a dance again. I'd gotten much better from our little lessons with Tamaki. Zakia sat in her chair by a window, still staring at whatever was in her lap. Kyoya was preoccupied with what Hikaru called fanzines, which apparently made the club money. Kaoru sat on a couch, thinking. Haruhi was in a conversation with Mori and Honey.

I thought I only looked away from my sister for a moment, but suddenly, there she was in her chair, next to Tamaki. She said something quietly to him. Whatever it was, he seemed excited by it. She said something else, and he shook his head.

Zakia did something miraculous. Again, it seemed to take a lot of effort, but she got up from her wheelchair, putting most of her weight on her right leg. Tamaki seemed upset, but he called Kyoya over.

"Zakia wants to learn to dance."

Kyoya's surprise matched my own, and he tried to say no, but Zakia stepped close to him, and mirrored the way I held Hikaru. Kyoya tried to say no again, to back out, and convince Zakia to sit down. She didn't listen to any of it, shutting Kyoya up by pulling his head to hers and kissing him.

A voice cleared at the door. Everyone looked, terrified, but relaxed when they saw Ritsu Kasanoda. Kyoya pulled away from Zakia.

"So, either you're both gay, or…"

"They're being taught to dance," Tamaki said.

"Let them answer for themselves. So, either Kyoya and Zakia are gay, or Zakia is a girl."

"Yes, I'm a girl." Everyone stared at Zakia. "I'd rather if you didn't tell anyone. Believe it or not, I enjoy myself here. I'm glad to be friends with you, Ritsu, and I think it's time that you knew."

"So Furukia, also a girl?" I nodded.

"Good to know. I'm even more impressed with your skills than I was before, Zakia. Fighting injured and a girl. I got beat by a girl. Wow."

"You won't tell anyone?" I asked.

"Nah. I already keep Haruhi's secret. What's two more crossdressers added to the list?"

Everyone's sigh of relief was audible.

"Thank you for that, by the way."

I looked back in surprise as Haruhi spoke up. She always seemed to be talking to her friends or daydreaming. Hearing her speak up was abnormal. At least, I thought so.

"No problem, Fujioka. Anyways, I was just coming by to see if you guys needed any help tonight, with the ball and everything."

"Sure. Glad you can help out. Do you mind walking around and serving? You just have to dress kind of nice." Haruhi extended the invitation, although Tamaki looked like he wanted to refuse.

"Sure, no problem." Ritsu left as easily as he'd come, and Tamaki sent Hikaru and I back to practice.

When Zakia still refused to sit back down, he gave up and told her what to do. I had to admit, Zakia learned to Waltz much easier than I had. as Kyoya led her around the room, she seemed to fly over the floor. It was like she'd practiced her whole life. Kyoya held her close, and I could see that he was trying to help support her weight when she stepped with her bad leg. Still, Zakia looked happy as she spun in circles with him.

"Furukia."

My eyes were drawn back to Hikaru.

"Yes?"

"Will you go on a date with me tomorrow? Saturday got kind of messed up, with all the redecorating and your sister. So, can I take you tomorrow instead?"

"I'm sorry, Hikaru. I have to take care of Zakia."

"Actually, Kyoya is going to be taking care of me tomorrow. Go have fun, sis."

I whirled my head to find Kyoya and Zakia now dancing alongside Hikaru and I. Hikaru flashed me a grin.

"Alright. Tomorrow sounds great, then."

Hikaru's grin broadened, and he spun me around, making me dizzy. He caught me, and slowed until I was steady again.

"Careful, Furukia."

"You're the one that needs to be careful, Zakia." She didn't have a comeback.

When the two minute bell rang, Zakia sat down. She took the ramps downstairs herself. Kyoya followed her. I was about to go too, but Hikaru grabbed my hand.

"Kyoya will look after her. Can I walk you to class?"

I glanced at the back of my sister's head before she and Kyoya got lost in the crowd of other students. I reluctantly agreed.

"So, why does your sister insist on making things so hard on herself?"

"I don't think even she knows for sure. But as I've watched her the last few weeks, I think she does because she feels guilty. She feels like she's the reason our father died, and the reason our mother abandoned us. She feels like it's her fault we were constantly switching families. So she makes things hard on herself as a way to make up for that."

"Your father died?" Hikaru asked, surprised.

"He was in the military. He never got to meet us. We weren't even born yet."

"How is that you sister's fault?"

"It isn't. But that's not how she sees it."

We walked into the room, and classes resumed. Zakia had beaten us somehow.

After class, almost everybody started to head for the gardens. It was time for the Host Club's annual Snow Ball.

It was January eighteenth. Just over a month or so until Zakia and I's birthday. Of course, nobody else knew that. Our true last birthday had been about two years ago. Our next wouldn't be for two more years.

We met the other hosts on a terrace that overlooked the part of the garden the ball was being held in. Only now did it occur to me that the roses must be fake, since it was winter. Strange, how I hadn't thought of the date until now.

"You all know how this works, right?" Tamaki asked. "Just dance with the girls. Zakia, wait until about seven."

"Alright."

"Wait until seven for what?" I asked her.

"I'm going to announce that I'm looking for a band."

"You're really going to try it?"

"Yes. Also, I wanted to tell you. Sunday, at this little cafe in the square, not far from the school. They're hosting open poetry readings. Anyone is welcome."

I stared. My sister was trying to make our dreams come true.

"Think about going, won't you? And tell me if you go, because I want to be there."

I nodded, and then I was being yanked away by Tamaki to go dance with the girls. Zakia followed slowly down the ramp.

The time flew away as I danced with somewhere around twenty girls. It was seven o'clock before I knew it, and Zakia was in her chair on stage. The band backed away, recognizing her as one of the hosts.

"Good evening. I hope you all are enjoying yourselves."

Several people cheered.

"My name is Zakia Notoski, one of the Siamese Twins and one of the newest members to the club. I'm sure many of you have heard about me and my brother Furukia by now."

Several the girls cheered, swooned, or made other noises of appreciation. A few of the guys nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'm up here tonight to request a favor. I've had a dream since I was a kid to become a singer. I didn't think it was possible, and my brother was the only one who believed in me. But since coming to Japan, and to this school, I've discovered the Host Club. It's members have become my friends, and in two short weeks, they've inspired me to try and reach for my dream. So, I'm looking for a band to play with me. We might become famous, maybe not. But I want to take the chance and try to do it."

People started cheering.

"So, if you're interested, please, talk to me anytime. We'll set up a place and I'll listen to you play."

Zakia received a loud applause, and she rolled back out of the spotlight. The band began to play again.

Zakia was instantly surrounded by several people, both male and female. I imagined she would be hosting her auditions in the second room of the club, since it was difficult for her to be active in club activities right now. Eventually, her mini-crowd dispersed, and I watched as a lone girl approached Zakia.

They talked a little bit, and Zakia smiled and nodded at something she said. And, as usual, never ceasing to amaze me, Zakia stood up from her wheelchair, and took the girl's hand. She led her closer to the rest of us, and started to dance. At the end of the song, Zakia bowed to the girl, and she went giggling and talking to her friends.

Zakia slumped against the side of the stage and hobbled back towards her wheelchair. I excused myself from my current dancing partner, and ran to her. She looked exhausted from just that one dance. Of course, the girl couldn't support her the same way Kyoya had earlier, but Zakia had still danced with her. Why had she danced with her?

"Stay here, I'll get it," I told her. I fetched her chair, and Zakia sagged into it. Despite her obvious pain, Zakia smiled.

"She looked so happy."

"You're hurt. You need to rest. You shouldn't be dancing."

"But did you see the way it made her smile, just to dance with me?"

"Yes. But promise me you'll stay here for the rest of the night."

"Alright, alright." She waved me off, pushing me back towards the crowds. She still had that stupid smile.

I got pulled into a dance, and I couldn't really pay attention, but I thought I saw Zakia talking to Ritsu, Haruhi, and Tamaki throughout the evening. She also talked to a girl who struck me as familiar.

At the end of the night, there was a grand prize drawing for clients of the club only. Some girl won a free visit with Tamaki, the most popular, and therefore most expensive, member of the club. That concluded the Snow Ball. Not exactly exciting, but pleasant enough, if that's your kind of thing.

Most of the club, excluding Mori and Honey, came over for the weekend again. Mori and Honey apparently had some big family dinner event they had to get to, or they'd have come with us. I went to sleep beside my sister, exhausted.

It was Saturday. My first date with Hikaru. And Kyoya was taking Zakia on a date, too.

I put on a cute winter dress. It was light blue, with three-quarter sleeves. It was a silky material, tight to my upper body, except for the loose sleeves. The skirt was long and straight, and shimmered in the light. A pair of matching colored flats that sparkled with silver glitter went perfectly with it.

"You look beautiful. You should leave your hair loose."

My sister had rolled herself around so she was horizontal on the bed, watching me get ready.

"I can't have all the fun. We have to get you ready, too."

Zakia had told me how Kyoya planned to take her somewhere simple, so I got out a pair of black jeans for her, adorned with chains that hung from the belt loops and embroidered with skulls on the back pockets. Her favorite pair she'd brought from England. She was going to wear the black tennis shoes again, so I couldn't pick a black shirt or jacket for her. Instead, I picked out a blood red shirt with her favorite band's name scrawled across it in orange. I gave her an army jacket to complete her punk look. It was also an item she's brought from England, and the one thing she'd held on to since we were kids. The name on it was Tanner. It must have been our father's.

When we were little, Zakia had gotten the jacket for our true second birthday. We were four in total years, but two in number of birthdays. It had been much too big for her for several years, but it started fitting more properly around the age of thirteen. Zakia used to wear it all the time, but with the dress code at Ouran, she hadn't worn it for nearly a month now.

I helped Zakia get dressed. When I handed her the jacket, she stared at it. Since our mother's story, it now held a whole new meaning to her. She shrugged into it, finding it just as comfortable as it used to be. The sleeves were still a little long, and the bottom hung to just past her butt, but she had never cared.

There was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Hikaru there, in khakis, a nice white shirt, a black vest, and a bow tie. He had even worn dress shoes. Hikaru drank in my appearance, and smiled when his eyes met mine.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yup. Let me say bye to Zakia."

I closed the door most of the way and went to my sister, who had rolled to the window, staring out. I bent down and hugged her tightly.

"Have fun," she whispered.

"You too. And I want to hear all about it when I see you later."

We both laughed, and she tweaked my nose. "Go on, he's waiting for you. And don't skip out on the gory details later," she teased, winking at me.

I laughed, and joined Hikaru at the door.

"Hey, Zakia. If I were you, I might try to wake Kyoya up. He tends to stay up late, and get up late because of it. I know he wouldn't want to be late for your plans," Hikaru said.

"I'll give him a while longer. Take care of my sister."

"I'll bring her home safe by midnight."

My sister turned and met Hikaru's eyes. There was a dangerous edge to hers, and a smirk on her lips. "I don't mind if you keep her for the night, as long as nothing happens. Who's to say I'll be back by midnight?"

Hikaru grinned. "Alright, then. I promise I'll keep her safe. Stay out of trouble."

"Please. Like that'll happen with a hot bad boy."

"Who are you calling a hot bad boy?"

"All of the hosts, except for Honey and Tamaki. Tamaki is too much of an idiot, and Honey is too sweet. But the other four of you I would definitely call bad boys."

The three of us laughed, and Hikaru shut the door over my head before leading me downstairs to the limo.

"What are we doing today?" I asked, curious.

"You'll see. It's a bit of a surprise. But, I will warn you. There is a small chance that you might meet my mom."

"Doesn't she work with my mom?"

"Yeah. Her name is Yuzuha. She's big into fashion."

"Oh."

"Why'd you wear a dress, since you hate them?"

"I like looking nice for you. But the minute your mother sees me, she'll probably start asking a bunch of questions, and I won't know how to answer any of them. I don't know anything about fashion."

"I wouldn't worry. I'm pretty sure she's out of town. I only said there was a chance because my mom kind of runs on her own schedule. We're going to be at a restaurant downstairs from one of her shops, afterall."

"Why does she have a restaurant below her shop."

"You've never been to an aristocracy mall."

"No. I've been rich for two weeks. I've been a little busy with you and Zakia and the club. I haven't had the time to go to a mall or see much of anything that Japan has to offer."

"You'll see the rich side today. Maybe another time I'll show you the commoners side."

Hikaru opened my door for me, like a gentleman, and I was off on my first date.


	4. Breakfast With a Peek Into Their Lives

My girls had only been in Japan for two weeks, and already, they had a large group of friends. Unfortunately, most of them were male. They'd only brought one girl home so far, but a mix of six different boys, each very different from each other.

Each of the six was also the son of one of my business partners.

Last weekend, they had all been doing a lot of redecorating in their wing of the house. Their wing was the entire west side of the second story. I'd peeked into some of the rooms. Apparently they expected to have their friends over a lot, because each room seemed to be specific to one of them. One room, the one that used to be Furukia's, seemed to be occupied by Yuzuha's twin boys. Furukia had moved her things in with Zakia. At this point, I didn't mind. There was plenty enough space in these big rooms for two people, and each had a separate bathroom.

I'd only tried to separate them so I might have a hope in getting to know them individually. They were too much to handle together. But they didn't want to get to know me at all.

Today, I was up on the late side. I was off work today. I planned to have Furukia and Zakia introduce me to their friends. I went downstairs in some old clothes. I didn't often wear yoga pants and t-shirts anymore, but I was making an effort to be the mother my girls knew today.

In the dining room, the kitchen staff had laid out all sorts of dishes for the hungry mouths. So far, I seemed to be the first one in here. I sat alone at the table for ten minutes before one of the boys came in. He was tall, with blonde hair and purple eyes. His name was Tamaki Suoh, Yuzuru's son. "Oh, good morning, miss. Who might you be?"

"I'm Leyra Notoski, Furukia and Zakia's mother."

"Oh, my. Well it's easy to see where your daughters get their good looks. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Notoski."

"No, my daughters do not get their looks from me. That would be from their father. Zakia has always reminded me most of her father. Furukia often reminds me of myself, with her quiet nature. Opposites, and yet, somehow, they fit together."

"Truly? They seem almost identical. I can never tell them apart."

I laughed. "Well, yes. I suppose they are in many ways, identical. But they each are their own person. It's good to know they have friends at school already. I worry about them."

"I think all of the members of the club are quite taken by them. They seem to enjoy themselves, too."

"All of the boys have a crush on one of my daughters?"

"Oh, no, Miss Notoski. Hikaru Hitachiin likes Furukia, and his twin Kaoru likes Zakia. Kyoya Ootori also likes Zakia. Takashi and Mitsukuni are just friends, as am I. I like Haruhi Fujioka. She's my girlfriend."

"Tell me about these Hitachiin twins and Mr. Ootori. What are they like?"

"The Hitachiins...well, I can't tell them apart either. But I believe Hikaru is the more naive of the two, under normal circumstances. The last couple of weeks, however, he has been the more mature. Kaoru seems to have lost himself completely since last Friday, however. Likely because Zakia does not return his feelings for her. As for Kyoya, he is my best friend. You can trust him, Miss Notoski. He wouldn't have told Zakia of his feelings for her, but I urged him to. He's never had a girlfriend, and he always seems rather lonely. I thought your daughter's influence would do him some good. Anyhow, he wouldn't have told her, and left her be, but, when he did tell her, he found he could no longer hide his feelings."

"Zakia likes to walk on the wild side. I believe Mr. Ootori is the one that should be careful in this situation."

"Kyoya has his own wild side, despite what most people think. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"And what is this Haruhi girl like? From what I understand, both your father and Yoshio, Kyoya's father, would like her to marry into their families."

"Kyoya never had any true interest in Haruhi. Neither did Mitsukuni. Takashi had a brief crush on her, but nothing to really be spoken of. Both of the Hitachiins liked her for a time, but, in the end, Haruhi chose me, and the Hitachiins, as you know, have moved on. Haruhi is actually very feminine when she isn't working at the club. She's very cute. She's a hard worker, and highly intelligent. She got into Ouran based purely on a scholarship. She's a commoner, the same way your daughters grew up. She's become used to finer things as she's been around the rest of us, but your daughters are accustomed to the lifestyle even more so than her. Within all their moving around, apparently they've never even tried soda. That's what I was told by the Hitachiins, at least."

"I was wrong, to leave them to foster care. I thought they were better off. I sent for them as soon as I could. I thought they would be happy to be moving, to get a fresh start, to have a new life. But it seems I am not included in the new life they want."

"That is wrong of them. They should cherish their mother. I love my mother, and would do nearly anything to see her again. My grandmother won't let me. Your daughters are lucky to have you."

"No, no. Do not blame them. I do not blame them. I blame myself. I left them on their own for four and a half years. I should not expect too much out of them. Everytime I think I've had it hard, I turn around and find my fifteen year old girls have already had it harder. It isn't fair to them. That's why I'm glad they have you, and the others. You all have to show them the life I never could. Show them how to love, and come out of those shells. Show them that it's okay to be unique, even from each other, because that's what makes them special. But do not blame them for their lives. They do the best they can. But without a father, and without me around during some of those crucial years, our family has fallen apart."

"What if we set up a day for you to spend time with your daughters? The first one, we'll all be around, help set a good mood, make them see a good time with you. The second, Takashi and Honey won't be there. The third, neither will I or Kaoru. The fourth, Haruhi shall not attend. The fifth, it will just be you and the girls. It will help ease them into it. And hopefully by that fifth day together, your daughters will be more comfortable, warmed up to you. You'll be a family again."

"I don't know. My girls are stubborn, strong minded, strong willed. Once their mind is set, it is hard to change it."

"Give it a chance. You never know."

"It is what Tanner would have wanted. For us to stick together. Let's try it."

"Is Tanner their father?"

"Yes. But he is gone."

"What happened to him?"

"He died in the military."

"My condolences. Do you mind if I join you for breakfast?"

"Not at all. Please, sit, and enjoy."

Tamaki Suoh was a quiet eater. Or perhaps that was only because he was with an adult. Perhaps it was because he was with me, the lady of the house. Whatever the case, it didn't seem to me an awkward silence.

The next boy to appear was one of Yuzuha's twins. His orange hair and amber eyes gave that much away.

"Good morning boss. And, good morning miss. Who might you be?"

"Leyra Notoski."

The boy hesitated. "So you must be Furukia and Zakia's mother."

"That's right. And you look like your mother. Which of Yuzuha's sons are you?"

"I'm Kaoru Hitachiin. You daughters look very different from you."

"Yes, they have their father's looks. But, if you pay close attention, you might notice a few traits my daughters have in common with me. Furukia, especially."

"I'm afraid I wouldn't know. Your daughters try to avoid speaking of you. Those four years apart affected them deeply."

"I'm sure. Is your brother a late riser? Yuzuha has told me the two of you rarely separate."

"Normally, no. But he's taken Furukia out. A nice restaurant in a mall my mother has a shop within, I believe."

"Oh, I'm sure Furukia looked like a princess."

"I don't know. I didn't see her, Miss Notoski."

"Well, all I can say is he'd better treat her properly."

"My brother is mature and a wonderful gentleman in your daughter's presence."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I can not speak for myself, however. I've been acting rashly and very foolishly the past couple of weeks. Probably what drove Zakia away from me and straight into Kyoya."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kyoya took Zakia out today."

I laughed. "And did you see how she looked?"

"Like a rebel, a punk."

"I can't say I'm surprised. Zakia takes after her father in so many ways. There's a reason I gave her his jacket."

"Could that be the same army jacket she left in?"

"I imagine so. She doesn't have any other army jackets that I'm aware of. It's good to know she kept it all these years."

Kaoru took a seat at the table, helping himself to the food. I did take notice that he said a short prayer to himself under his breath before he took a bite. Perhaps the boy hadn't lost himself quite as Tamaki thought.

A girl stepped into the room, surprised to see me, as Tamaki and Kaoru had been.

"You must be Haruhi. Everyone has been talking an awful lot about you."

"Have they? I hope I haven't done anything to offend somebody."

"No, not at all. They speak fondly of you. You seem like a lovely girl, just as they described."

"Why, thank you. You are Zakia and Furukia's mother, yes?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Leyra."

"It's a pleasure. Your daughters are very interesting. And Kyoya is head over heels for Zakia. It surprises me, because he hardly seems to have an interest in any of the other girls at school. But as soon as he saw Zakia come in, he couldn't take his eyes off her. And only Zakia. He always knows which is which, no matter what they happen to be doing."

"That's good. So many people have trouble telling them apart, despite their contrasts."

"They haven't had much interaction with people outside of the club yet, so I can't tell you if they are easier to tell apart here or not. But, Ritsu Kasanoda has had some contact with them. He sees their differences clearly, and can tell them apart."

"I see. Another boy."

"He's not a part of the Host Club. I wouldn't worry, though. Zakia and Furukia are popular with our clients. They spend a lot of time with girls, too."

"Only within that club, it seems. They step out, and they're in a group of boys again."

"This might just be my opinion, but Zakia and Furukia seem more comfortable hanging around with the guys than they do entertaining the girls. They just don't get on as well with the girls. I'm a bit of a special case, since I host with them."

"You crossdress as a host, too?"

"Yes. I enjoy entertaining the girls. And crossdressing isn't so bad. Who cares if I'm a boy or a girl, as long as I'm myself?"

"Yes. That's the way Zakia and Furukia tend to look at it too. But I try to push them to be more feminine. Despite everything, they are girls, and there are people out there who would try to take advantage of that."

"Anyone who would try to harm Furukia puts themselves at risk. Zakia will do anything to protect her."

"It isn't Furukia I'm worried about. Zakia is fiercely loyal to her sister, and I have no doubt she would do harm to others or to herself to keep her safe. Zakia is the one that worries me. Despite her strength and the skill she has worked hard to develop in martial arts, she would rather the world see her as a boy. That's fine and dandy. It protects her. But on those occasions when she wants to be a girl for a day, she is in danger. Furukia is not strong in the same sense as Zakia. She can not protect her sister, despite any wish of hers to do so. Furukia is just as loyal to Zakia as Zakia is to her, but there is just nothing Furukia would be able to do. She isn't a fighter."

"Your daughter will be safe in our care, Miss Notoski. One of us will always be by her side. No one will harm her," Tamaki told me.

His face was sincere, and I had no doubt in him. He would hold himself to that word. Zakia would be as safe as Furukia. I finished eating, and stood up.

"Please, enjoy yourselves here. My girls obviously feel this home is your home, too. They do not feel that way often about others. Keep their trust in you all close to your hearts, because once you lose their trust, you can never gain it back. I look forward to seeing each of you again."

I returned to my room, and turned on the TV. It was easy to find the cartoon channel I used to watch when I was a child. It was a shame that I could never show it to Zakia and Furukia. It was late in the night before I heard the front doors open. One of the girls was home.

I peeked out of my room and saw it was Furukia. She was dressed just like a princess. She was beautiful. Her face was lit with a bright smile, and I knew she was happy.

I closed my door again quietly, a smile touching my own lips. One day in the coming months, my daughters and I would cross a time when we understood one another, and they could tell me about their lives themselves. Until then, I would watch them quietly from behind my door and enjoy seeing their smiles.


	5. Hummingbird Heartbeat

I had woken up around eight. At nine, my sister left. When nine thirty came, and Kyoya hadn't knocked on the door yet, I decided to take Hikaru's advice. I rolled down the halls until I reached Kyoya's room.

I knocked, but there was no reply. I didn't want to walk in on anything I wasn't supposed to. Still, I pushed the door open. Kyoya was still in bed. I had some difficulty getting through the door, but I managed. I closed the door behind me and went to the bed.

He really was cute when he slept. I tapped him on the shoulder, but he did not stir.

"Kyoya."

At the sound of my voice, he did move, but he did not wake.

"Kyoya, get up."

He rolled onto his stomach, his hands coming out from under the covers. There was a faint beeping coming from the watch on his wrist. So, he'd slept longer than he had intended to. It made me wonder what time he'd gone to sleep.

"Kyoya, you've overslept."

He stirred again, but still did not wake. I sighed, knowing what was coming next would be painful, but I did it anyways.

I lifted myself from my chair with my arms and sat myself on the bed beside him as gently as I could. I dragged my bad leg over by using my pant leg as a sort of lift. I put my arms around Kyoya, and he rolled towards me. I'm pretty sure he sniffed my hair. His eyes flicked open, meeting mine.

"I wouldn't mind waking up to your cute face every morning."

He must have heard the beeping that was already beginning to irritate me, because he looked down at his arm and started fiddling with his watch. he beeping stopped.

Kyoya had chosen to decorate what was now his room in the house fairly simplisticly, in a traditional style. Somehow, it didn't strike me as very personal to him.

"I'm sorry."

I blinked, bringing my attention back to him. "What for?"

"I'm afraid I've overslept. I still need to shower and dress, and it's already nine forty."

I smirked. "I guess you'd better hurry, then."

He grinned. "I guess I'd better. You might as well stick around. I'll be finished by ten."

Kyoya got up and collected a few things from his dresser before heading into the bathroom. I relaxed back on his bed. After four nights of him sleeping here, it already smelled like him. A clean, musky kind of scent. I liked it.

I stared at the ceiling and wondered what his plans for the day might be. I was so immersed in my thoughts, I didn't hear the water shut off. I only knew he was done when I heard the bathroom door open.

Kyoya was wearing casual black pants with a brown belt. His shirt was plaid, black, purple and silver. He hadn't yet buttoned it. His feet currently only had plain white socks. He'd towel dried his hair, leaving it messy in a hot kind of way. He looked down at me on his bed, and smiled. He didn't have his glasses on yet, but that didn't seem to bother him too much at the moment. He carefully avoided my legs as he put himself over me, much like he had last week. It had scared me then. Now, I could see that it had turned into a sort of playful flirting between us.

I tangled my fingers into his damp hair, and pulled his face down to mine. His kiss was warm and sweet. It still tasted like oranges, but the chocolate was absent from this one. He pulled away and pressed his forehead to mine. A smirk played at his lips as he stared into my eyes.

"I don't suppose you're ready to go now?"

"Mm…in a minute," I said, taunting him.

"And what do you want to do in that minute?" he asked, already knowing.

"I don't know, but that little make out session last week was nice."

Kyoya rolled his eyes but took the bait. He dipped towards me, just barely brushing his lips on mine before he pulled away again. I gave him a pouty face, and he laughed. My pout broke into a smile. I couldn't stay mad at him. He took my head in one of his hands, supporting me as he leaned down and really kissed me. I was all too eager to let him close to me when his tongue touched my lips. He pulled away, breathing heavily.

"You drive me crazy. Did you know that, Zakia Notoski?" he growled in my ear.

"No. But it's nice to know that I do."

Kyoya chuckled. "Come on, Zak. I've got an exciting day planned for you."

He got up carefully, and cautiously lifted me up to my chair. Despite everything, somehow, when Kyoya touched me, it didn't hurt as much. He took me downstairs. Instead of my careful bumpy mornings with Furukia, Kyoya just picked me up by himself, chair and all, and carried me down.

Outside, the air was warm, which was strange with it being winter. I considered leaving my jacket behind, but went against it. Kyoya stopped us between a car and a motorcycle. He buttoned up his shirt, then offered me his hands. I took them, and he helped me slowly and carefully stand up.

"How are you feeling today? Is the pain bad?"

"Not so much, no."

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"Good. I prefer my motorcycle over a car. I enjoy the wind, the thrill."

"I've never ridden a motorcycle."

"I'll keep you safe."

The wheelchair was small. Child sized, really. It folded up into a neat little bundle that Kyoya was able to put under the seat.

"Wait, you intend for us to go on that?" I asked, pointing at the machine.

"That's right. Don't worry. All you have to do is keep still, keep balance with me, and hold on."

"But I can't, Kyoya. My rib, and my leg…"

"I told you not to worry. So don't worry. It'll be fine." His words reassured me some as he pulled one side of my hair behind my ear.

It felt weird and I shook it out, making my hair messy in the process, the way I preferred it. Furukia tended to keep her hair neat. Kyoya chuckled before handing me one of the helmets sitting on the bike. It was a full faced sport helmet, plain black, and it fit snuggly. I couldn't figure out the strap, and Kyoya slid his hands under my chin, fixing it for me. I pulled up the visor.

"You look like quite the rebel," he commented before putting his own helmet on. He lifted his visor as well.

"You look rather dangerous."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It is in my book." He chuckled again. He threw one leg over the side of the bike, straddling it. He patted the space behind him, which didn't have a backrest or a sissy bar. I had to hold on to Kyoya if I wanted to keep my life.

I threw my bad leg over the side of the bike, and found a foot rest in just the right spot. I used my hands as support and got my other foot on the opposite foot rest. I cautiously reached forward and put my arms around Kyoya's waist. He leaned forward to grab the handle bars, glancing back at me over his shoulder.

"You're going to want to hold on tighter than that."

I had a moment to squeeze him a little tighter, and then the bike was roaring to life underneath us. Kyoya put up the kickstand, reached back to pull down my visor, and we went roaring down the driveway. I squeezed Kyoya tightly. I also couldn't help but notice how he had left his visor up. The wind made my jacket flap around me, but a grin covered my face. Kyoya dodged through traffic, passing through the cars as if he'd been riding a bike for a long time. But he was only seventeen. He couldn't have been riding that long, right?

When Kyoya took turns, I leaned against the motion as a counterweight. At a stoplight, I pushed my visor up quickly, and returned my arm to Kyoya's waist.

"Where are we going?"

"I want you to meet my sister. She told me she was going out with our father today, so you might end up meeting him, too."

"Should I have dressed nicer?"

"No. I didn't tell you because I want my family to see you as you are, the way I like you."

The light changed, and we were moving again. It was different to have the wind in my face, and hear it without being muffled. The bike was loud, too. At another stop, I couldn't help asking a question.

"How did your bike end up at my house?"

"I had it brought over. My driver didn't mind."

"How'd you know I would agree to ride it?"

"I didn't," he replied before the engine revved and we took off.

We pulled up to a fancy building with a valet service and a red carpet to the door. This place was way nicer than anywhere I'd ever been.

Kyoya stepped off and a valet took the handle bars. Then Kyoya helped me off. He grabbed my wheelchair from the baggage compartment, and led me to the wall.

"Lean against this. It was your first time, so you'll probably be more than a little shaky."

I found that he was right. My legs were shaky, and I had to lean against the wall to keep from falling. Kyoya unfolded and helped me into my wheelchair, then brushed his hands against my chin as he undid the strap of the helmet. I pulled it off, finding out my hair was even messier than before. Kyoya's was too, when he pulled his helmet off. Kyoya strapped our helmets to the handles of my chair, which was kind of creative. Then he pushed me along the carpet into the building.

It was a restaurant. An extremely fancy, reservations required restaurant. Yet, all of the staff nodded or bowed to Kyoya as we passed by. A few gave him rather strange looks, but none showed any outward disrespect. We were approaching a woman at a table by herself. She was sipping some kind of tea when she spotted Kyoya. She had a kind smile, and stood to greet us.

"Kyoya! How are you, little brother?"

"I'm alright. What about you? Has father treated you well?"

"He hasn't gotten here yet."

She hugged Kyoya, then focused her attention on me. She looked me up and down. "Well, she's very pretty. Who's your friend, Kyoya?"

"Fuyumi, this is my girlfriend, Zakia Notoski. Zak, my older, married sister, Fuyumi Ootori-Shido."

"It's nice to meet you," I said, offering her my hand.

"Kyoya! You should have told me you have a girlfriend!" She cried, ignoring my hand and embracing me.

"I wanted you to meet her soon, so I left it to be a surprise." "This is wonderful news. Kyoya's never had a girlfriend. I know, it's hard to believe with his good looks and charm, but I suppose you were the lucky girl who snapped him up."

"He's mentioned before that he's never had a girlfriend," I recalled.

"Yes. Oh, but what happened? Why are you in a wheelchair?"

"I, um, fell down the stairs."

"Fell down the stairs? What, did you never drink milk as a child?" "You can trust her, Zak," Kyoya said kindly.

"Oh. Well, actually, it was because of a few stupid fights."

"A fighter, huh? Bet you're kind of feisty. That's good. Sometimes Kyoya needs someone to keep him in line. So what happened?"

"Broke a rib and fractured a leg. Didn't stop me though."

"Bold one, aren't you?"

"That's what people say."

"Well, sit, sit! It's not very often I get to see my little brother. I'm normally busy with work."

"You used to stay with me during weekends, my last year of middle school, even though I was perfectly capable of living on my own," Kyoya replied.

"But you were still in middle school. You shouldn't have been living on your own."

"It was my own choice."

"I know that."

"You live on your own already?"

"Technically, although I still end up staying with my parents much of the time because I help run my father's business. During the summer is the time when I'm most frequently at my own apartment."

"What about you, Zakia? Do you have a job? What's home like?" Fuyumi asked.

"Oh, well...I don't have a job yet. Back in England, they have child labour laws that basically prevent anyone under the age of sixteen from having a job. I live with my twin sister and my mother in a huge mansion. Furukia and I don't like it there much, but it's technically home."

"Any dream career? And, if you don't like home, where is home in your heart?"

"I actually want to be a singer. I've written a couple of songs already. The start of an album, actually, but I don't even have a band yet. Hmm...the home of my heart, huh? Well, that's fairly easy. Home to my heart is a summer in Ryde with my sister."

"A singer? Cool! So, if you're from England, how long have you been in Japan?"

"Two weeks."

Fuyumi laughed. "Won her over quick, huh, Kyoya? You charmer!"

"Actually, she won me over, first."

Fuyumi considered that, then shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, love can happen at first sight. A lot of people don't feel that way, but shouldn't true love be something you know and feel as soon as you see that special person?"

"Sure, if you don't deny those feelings to yourself," I commented.

"Okay, so what's your twin sister like? Is she fraternal, identical? I always did want a sister. I love my brothers, but it's hard being the only girl sometimes."

"She's my identical twin. We rarely separate, but today we made an exception, since it's both of our first dates."

"It's her first date and you brought her to meet me? Oh, Kyoya. Haven't I taught you anything?"

I laughed. "It's fine, really. I always find it's easiest to get to know someone through their family. You can't really understand someone until you understand where they come from."

"So, who's your sister dating?"

"Hikaru Hitachiin."

"Ah. Of course you'd both have connections to the Host Club."

"Actually, we're both hosts."

"What? Did Tamaki really mistake a pair of twin girls for boys? That foolish blonde. But, you've got to appreciate how driven he is to his dreams."

"Yeah...that's pretty much exactly what happened. But the Host Club is really fun. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I have."

"That's nice. What else are the two of you going to do today, Kyoya?" Fuyumi asked him.

"What is the meaning of this?" a loud, stern voice asked.

I froze in my seat, taking a big gulp of air. Somehow, I knew the man behind me was talking to our table.

"Apparently, Zak is going to meet Father," Kyoya muttered.

"Kyoya, front and center."

Kyoya stood, and walked to his father. "What are you doing here? And who is this boy in a wheelchair sitting at our table? You know that you are supposed to be studying. You're supposed to make a reservation, too."

"Father, please, have a seat."

His father sat across from Fuyumi. Kyoya stood over my shoulder. His father took notice of the helmets on the back of my chair, and he slapped Kyoya across the face, hard. Everyone around us stared. Kyoya's head turned with the force, and already there was a red handprint on his cheek.

"What's the meaning of this, bringing a strange boy here on that blasted motorcycle of yours? He's in a wheelchair. You should know better."

"Father, this is Zakia Notoski, my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" the seemingly cruel man in front of me asked, surprised. His gaze turned to focus on me, and he looked me over. "Why would she be your girlfriend? She's a commoner, and worth nothing to this family. Get rid of her. I have already told you who I want your bride to be."

"Father, I have already told you I do not care for Haruhi Fujioka in that way. She is with Tamaki. But this is a girl I genuinely like. She is no commoner, but she was raised that way. This is Leyra Notoski's daughter."

"Why are you dating Leyra Notoski's daughter? She is already a business partner of ours, leaving this girl useless to this family. I demand you get rid of her."

"No. She has worth beyond benefits to you, Father. Her worth to me is far more precious than your rules and your company." Kyoya pulled me back from the table protectively. I looked up and saw him glaring at his father.

"I do not care what she is worth to you. Feelings do not override my decisions."

"Do you not understand? I do not care what you do to me. This is the girl I want to spend my time with, and that is all there is to it."

Kyoya's father looked between us, his gaze cold. He waved a hand dismissively. "Get out of my sight. You disgrace me. I don't ever want to see her again. And for God's sake, use your sense, boy. Don't take her on that damned motorcycle."

"Goodbye, Fuyumi. It was nice to meet you. You and Kyoya seem to get along well."

"It was nice meeting you, as well."

She reached over and hugged me. I looked at Mr. Ootori, who refused to meet my gaze.

"Just because someone has no worth to you, it doesn't mean you should treat them without respect. You should be glad for the happiness of your son. I don't really care whether or not you like me, but shouldn't his happiness come before a company that will eventually die out? Parents like you disgust me. My own mother abandoned my sister and I to make a wealthy, successful business life here. Four years later, she has my sister and I flown from our home country and everything we know to this place. But seeing you, you are far worse. A man who can not appreciate everything his son tries to do for him has no business calling himself a father. And I'll have you know, I do appreciate Kyoya, for everything he is and everything he does. And I like riding the motorcycle. I'll dress however I please anywhere I go. Just because I am not your definition of a perfect girl, does not mean you must cast me aside as worthless. I will not let you, a cruel man and one who is blind to the true meanings of things, be the judge of my worth. I will let someone who cares about my time do that."

Mr. Ootori did meet my gaze then, his features transformed with rage. I'm sure he would have slapped me, too, if it wouldn't have been considered assault.

"It was horrid meeting you."

Mr. Ootori was red now. "Get out, commoner brat, and don't ever let me see your face again!"

I glared at his vile face, and immediately I felt the room drop about twenty degrees cold. Mr. Ootori was frightened of the look I gave him.

As we left, I could hear him ask Fuyumi, "Just how did she end up in that wheelchair in the first place?" in a rather nervous tone.

"She got in a few fights. From what I understand, she won all of them, despite her injuries. And that was against seven different boys in their prime years."

The threat implied, I heard a chair scrape against the floor, and then Fuyumi was smiling down at me as we walked out. "Well, you certainly put him in his place. You should've seen the look on his face. Anyways, I don't think he'll bother either of you again for a while. I'm sorry you had to meet him on your first date. I'll bet that just ruined your whole day."

"No, not ruined. Actually, I have an idea of where to go next, if Kyoya doesn't have any other plans."

"I've got a few ideas. But hold on to yours for later, okay?"

"Sure."

"It really was nice to meet you. You guys are really cute together. I'll bet it's even better when you can stand up next to each other. Kyoya, bring her over for a visit sometime, okay? Don't be a stranger!"

Fuyumi, hugged us both again before running down the street, waving over her shoulder.

"You really shouldn't have made him angry like that," Kyoya said quietly.

"But?" I asked, sensing there was one.

"But...I'm glad that you did. Thank you, for defending me. You didn't need to."

I smiled up at him, and felt butterflies when he looked back down with such a tender look in his eyes.

"Mr. Ootori," a valet said, handing Kyoya back the key to his bike. I stood up with Kyoya's help, and pulled my helmet over my head while Kyoya put my chair away. He fixed the strap for me again, and put his own helmet on. This time, he helped me up onto the bike, and I found it less painful than before. He got on in front of me, and we roared off along the roads again. I put my head on Kyoya's shoulder this time, enjoying the closeness and holding on to him. I could see his watch, and noticed we'd only been inside the restaurant for half an hour. The day was still young.

It seemed that Kyoya was just driving around aimlessly for a while. I asked him once at a stop why.

"Clearing my head and calming myself down. I don't want my anger with my father to be taken out on you. Riding by itself helps with that, but having you behind me makes it even better."

So we continued to blaze down the streets, dodging between cars, and often times I found that Kyoya was speeding. Around eleven, Kyoya changed course, and we seemed to start heading towards a more exact destination. When we stopped, we were in a smaller neighborhood, and for some reason, I recognized it. I looked around slowly, and realized why.

Not too far, on a hill that seemed kind of small from here, was Ouran Academy.

"Why are we here?"

"I thought you might be hungry, or at least want something to drink. My favorite coffee shop is here."

"Sure, why not? Although I haven't the slightest idea what coffee is."

"Oh yes, that's right. You've experienced so little. It seems I will be exposing to several things today, then."

I nodded, looking around at the little shops. They seemed like small, family owned shops. Being in such proximity to Ouran was certainly strange, but it seemed like a nice place.

"Do you want to walk for a bit?"

I looked back at Kyoya, who had my chair in hand. He was looking at me curiously.

"I'm surprised you're giving me that option."

"I wouldn't if I didn't think you could handle it. You are making a remarkably swift recovery. That, or you are very good at disguising your pain."

"I think I'll walk."

"Alright. We can leave this here then." He put the chair back, and took out a chain with a padlock. He chained the bike to the parking space sign, and stood back up.

"Little trick I've learned over the years. I had a motorcycle stolen from me once. It hasn't happened again since I started locking it up."

"You really like your bike, huh?"

"Yes. I've put quite a lot of effort into it. I've tossed out old parts for ones I've created for it. And, of course, I do enjoy riding."

"Have you ever taken anyone else riding with you?"

"No, you're the first. My family has their own ways of getting around, as do the other hosts. Besides, you're the first girl I've wanted to take anywhere."

Kyoya took my hand, and we started walking down the sidewalk together. However, after a few steps, my limp was obvious. Kyoya cast worried looks at me.

"Well, evidently I'm not quite ready for walking. Maybe next week."

"Maybe. For now, why don't we just stick to the chair?"

"It annoys the hell out of me, being confined to that thing. Having to be pushed around."

"I know. But maybe this will discourage you from further fights, yes?"

I looked at him as he unfolded the chair, watching me.

"You were really worried about me in that ring, weren't you?"

"More than you'll ever know. I'd rather not repeat the feeling."

"I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. Just don't fight without a reason again, alright?"

"I had a reason. You heard them, threatening Furukia. I wouldn't stand for it. No one is going to touch my sister."

"Then next time, let me take care of it."

"Fine."

We pushed into the coffee shop, and a little bell rang. A strange smell hung in the air, along with the scents of chocolate and caramel, vanilla and cinnamon. It was wonderful.

"Sit tight. I'll order something I think you'll like."

I glanced around, spotting a few familiar faces. Some of the other kids in here went to Ouran. One of the girls my gaze landed on returned the look. She got up from where she was, gathered her things, and walked over to me.

"Hi, Zakia. Wow. You look good in the school uniform, but you look better when you can pick what you want to wear. What brands are you wearing?"

"Nothing you'd know. Commoners clothes, from before I came here."

"I know that band. Skellet? They're a favorite of mine."

"Mine, too"

"What's the jacket from?"

"My father."

"Do you want to go into the military like him? Is that why you wear that?"

"No. My father is dead."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Silence hung in the air between us.

"So, Zakia...what brought you here? I mean, why'd you leave England?"

"How'd you know where I was from?" I asked, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.

"Your accent, of course. I've been to England myself. Never met you there. I would remember a face like yours. So why'd you come here?"

"My mother. She's my only family aside from Furukia."

"I see. And why did your mother come here?"

"A better life. But why all of the questions all of a sudden?"

"Well, I never see you without your brother around. The two of you are kind of intimidating. So I was just seizing the opportunity of you being alone for once. Where is your brother, anyways?"

"Out. He had plans. I actually have my own, and I should be getting back. I just wanted to stop for a coffee."

"What's your favorite kind of coffee?"

I hesitated. Suddenly, a clear plastic cup was put in front of me, with a yellow straw stuck through the lid.

"Thank you, Kyoya."

"No problem. I see one of the girls found you. I hope she was able to keep you company while I was busy."

I laughed. "I was alright, I think. And, now you have my plans," I said, gesturing to Kyoya.

"What is this?" the girl asked.

"Business. Mostly club matters. Zakia has some pretty good ideas."

"Really? Do you mind if I stick around and give you my input?"

"As a matter of fact, I do mind. I'm sorry, but Zakia is easily distracted. I'm afraid if you're here, he will be more focused on enjoying your company than on our work."

"Of course. Then allow me to excuse myself. I'll see you at school Monday, Zakia."

The girl gave me a fluttery kind of wave and left the shop, hips swishing as she walked. It was weird.

"Well, I suppose it was foolish of me to think we wouldn't be recognized. Perhaps we should take this to go?"

"No. I'd like to stay here a while. We can't really talk on the bike."

"Alright."

"What other things do you do, besides your father's business, the Host Club, and riding motorcycles?"

"You mean, hobbies, thing I do just because I like doing them?"

"That's right."

"I race. I often use technology. I've been known to enjoy days out, like today, with the right people and under the right circumstances. Today, the only circumstance is having you by my side."

"What do you mean by race?"

"As in cars. That's why I was rather surprised when you mentioned it on the roof."

"Really? You race cars? Could you teach me? What's your favorite car? What's the best thing you've raced? What was the first thing you raced?"

Kyoya laughed, and clamped a hand over my mouth. "So many questions. Let's see...my favorite car would have to be a twenty ten Zenvo. It's also probably one of the best things I've raced. The first thing I raced was a dirt bike when I was eleven. I didn't win, of course."

"You've driven a Zenvo? Those are rare, and really expensive."

"Well, I actually have one at home."

My jaw dropped. I gaped at him.

"I'm serious."

"I know. That's what's so impossible. And you really started racing with an engine when you were eleven?"

"Sure. I mean, it was just against a few other boys my age. But by the time I was thirteen, I was competing. When I was fifteen, I got my permit. My family was surprised by how quick I took to driving. Then I got my license and began racing cars against others, often older than me."

"Have you ever raced your bike out there? Or just driven on a straight run to see how fast you could go?"

"Race, no. Driven as fast I could go? Yes."

"Alright, you mentioned tech. What do you do with it?"

"All manner of things. But for entertainment, I often play games, read, or listen to music."

"Do you know a lot about music?"

"Not particularly, no. Sorry."

"What's your favorite book?"

"That's a difficult question to answer. I think I would have to say that I enjoy Where the Sidewalk Ends."

"You like poetry?"

"Sometimes. Mostly, that boo reminds me of my childhood, and some of my ludicrous dreams. It's nice to think back to those sometimes."

"Yeah? What was one of your childhood dreams?" "I had several. But the most ludicrous of them was that I wanted to be a normal kid. I wanted to be a commoner. I suppose that's kind of stupid, isn't it, with my life of privilege? But the normal kids always seemed so happy, never seemed to have any stress. Never seemed to be pressured by anyone to do better. That's what wanted. To not have anything expected of me. To just be me, and still have my family's affection."

"That's not stupid, Kyoya. It's okay to wish that you could be who you are without judgement. That's something a lot of people wish."

"What about you? What was your childhood dream?"

"I wanted to meet my dad. I wanted to meet the man that left my mother alone to raise two daughters in our condition. My mother never went to college. She was going to be a gymnast, but...she met my dad, had us, and got stuck with a small job at a fast food restaurant. That was it. That was all the money we had. So, Furukia and I did things that didn't cost money. We never asked for anything. At the time, I thought my dad had walked out on us. He didn't though. He's dead. Yup. Died in the military."

"I'm sorry."

"It was a stupid wish. Why do I need a dad? I've got my sister, and we don't need anybody else."

"Fathers provide stability to a home. Without one, you fell adrift. It's only natural to wish you had a father."

I shrugged. All I knew about my dad was his name and that he'd died in the military. Oh, and apparently he had green eyes, and I'm a lot like him.

"Have you been writing more music?"

"Yeah, actually. I've got one entire song done, and the lyrics and keyboard piece for another."

"What's the second one called?"

"Well, it's kind of the start of an album. The second song is called Lost."

"I see. So this first album is the story of your life."

"Well, something similar."

"And tell me, do you plan to have a stage name?"

"What is a stage name?"

"It's a name you use instead of your real name so that you can sing, but have a normal life with your real name."

"No, I don't think so. I don't want to lie to people about who I am. That's why I'm making this first album the way I am."

Kyoya nodded, thoughtful. "Perhaps you would sing this second song for me, once we're alone?"

"Okay. You already overheard the first one."

"I'm sorry. I just happened to hear your voice, so I went inside. I'd understand if you wanted this to be something private to you for now."

"No, no. It's just, well, I wasn't expecting you to hear me, or anybody, for that matter."

"Your coffee will get warm if you let it sit there."

"Oh, I thought it would be warm, considering how warm it is in here."

"A lot of coffees are served warm, but some are served cold."

I took a sip of the brown mixture in the plastic cup, and found that coffee was actually rather delicious.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's really good."

"I thought you might. It's a caramel frappe."

I pulled my blue notebook from a pocket inside my jacket, and started working on a guitar piece for Lost. Occasionally I took a sip of coffee while I thought.

"What were your summers in Ryde like? You talk about that place a lot. It must be important to you."

"Ryde is a small town on the coast of England, near good swimming water. My mother's parents had a summer cabin there. I never met them, but they left my mother the cabin. So, each summer as far back as I can remember, Furukia and I and our mother, we would go to the cabin. It was so much fun. We never went swimming. We couldn't afford swimsuits. But playing games in the cabin, having a bonfire on the beach at sunset, soaking in the sun during the day, a little beach volleyball. There were a lot of things to do without going swimming. Furukia and I always have so much fun. Even after our mother left, we still went to the cabin every year by ourselves. It wasn't the same without our mother, but we still enjoyed ourselves. Of course, when we got back at summer's end, we were normally packing up and moving on to the next family. Now that we're here, I don't know if Furukia and I will ever get to go to Ryde again."

"You will."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I'm going to go with you this summer. And you're both going to get to swim this time."

"It's not a very big cabin, Kyoya, and there's not much furniture in it because we couldn't afford any."

"It doesn't need to be big. It's a cabin, not a resort. And we can always get more furnishings. But I think doing something different from usual would be good for all of the hosts this summer. Going to a little cabin in England with you and Furukia would be perfect."

"Kyoya, it only has three rooms, and two bathrooms. The kitchen is kiind of small, and the living room is the biggest room in the house. We can't bring seven more people with us."

"Sure you can."

"But-"

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

I clamped my jaw shut and stared at him. He was really serious. He wanted to go with us.

"Okay, so tell me. What do you normally do during the summer?"

"Me? Go to one of the resorts my family owns and hide inside while they goof off."

"I guess you don't really get on with your family, either, do you?"

"No. But it hardly matters. They pretend I'm still a real part of the family. We stay at the resort for about two weeks, and when we get back, I pack a bag and ride off to my apartment on my motorcycle."

"Well, we'll probably only be in Ryde for a couple of months. That leaves a month of time back here during summer. Maybe I'll get to see your apartment."

"I would like that very much."

"Okay, so, you're seventeen. But when is your birthday?"

"November twenty-second, still many months away. When is your birthday? Your records didn't say, only gave an age."

"That's because if they were to put my birthday down, I would only be three years old."

"Three years? How could you possibly be three years old? you're fifteen, I'm quite sure."

"In years, yes, I am fifteen. But in birthdays, I'm three. I'll turn four next year."

"Ah, you wouldn't happen to be born on February twenty-ninth of a leap year, would you?"

"Yeah. That's it. Mine and Furukia's birthday."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"Furukia and I have always celebrated on our own, since we never really had any friends. You have to understand how new all of this is to us."

"I see. And what do you think of Ouran so far?"

"I think it's mostly a school full of stuck up rich kids."

"Yes, well, according to your family's status, you are also a stuck up rich kid."

"I'm hardly like the others at Ouran."

"No," Kyoya admitted. "You weren't raised in this life. That's actually a good thing. You know what it's like to come from a place like where Haruhi is. It makes you special."

"Kyoya, why did you join the Host Club?"

"Well, actually, I co-founded it with Tamaki. As for why I did it...well, I decided to go against my father. I did it because it was a crazy idea. But, so far, Tamaki's crazy idea is working out well."

"Okay, there's another thing. What is it with your father?"

"He is a cold, calculating man, and probably what you would call a control freak."

I laughed. "Did you really just say that, Kyoya?"

"Well, it's the truth. Anyways, he is how he is. No one can change him, and I can't seem to please him. So, I've decided to live my life to my own whims and desires. I still help my father, but I don't do anything extra that isn't necessary."

"Even after he slapped you like that...you still told him I was your girlfriend, that I was the one you wanted to be with."

"Because you are the one I want to be with. You are the only girl I've ever wanted to be with."

"Out of all the girls in the world, why me? You could have any of them, but you picked me. Why?"

"Because I love you," he said simply.

The way he said it, so plainly and simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, made my stomach do flips and my heart start beating fast. I could feel a blush rise to my cheeks as I continued to meet his gaze.

An idea popped into my head, and I looked away, back to my music, back to things that were safe. It was okay to like Kyoya. It was okay to enjoy time with him. But Kyoya would never get love back. If I were to love him, I would only get hurt.

At another pause in ideas, I reached for my coffee, about to take another drink. When nothing came through the straw, I looked at the cup. It was empty.

"We've been here for about an hour. How about we hit a new destination?"

"Okay."

Kyoya threw our empty cups away, and I put my notebook in my pocket, my mechanical pencil holding the page. Kyoya rolled me outside to his bike, and I managed to get my helmet on by myself this time while he unchained the bike and put the wheelchair and chain in the baggage compartment. He lifted me up to my seat, got on in front of me, and started the bike.

He walked it out of the parking space, and when he revved the engine, a thrill went through me and I squeezed him tighter. I could feel him chuckle as we sped off. This time, we were on the road a lot longer. We turned off a small, two lane road to a little drive with a gate.

"Where are we?"

"Who is it?" a speaker by the gate asked.

"Kyoya Ootori."

"Good afternoon, sir. One moment, please."

There was silence except for the hum of the bike. Then there was a creak of metal as the gate swung in.

"You've been granted permission. Welcome to Ootori Springs."

Kyoya drove in, parking and chaining his bike again.

"What is this place?"

"A healing spring. I thought you might enjoy it. It's a true healing spring, as well, so it may help you recover faster than you already seem to be."

"Um, Kyoya, one little problem."

"What might that be?"

"I don't own a swimsuit, remember? And I certainly didn't bring it with me, even if I had one. And I don't think they'll allow us in together."

"It's closed today to regular guests. You must be a part of the family or a personal guest of the family to enter. I am family, and you rode in here on the back of my motorcycle. You are my guest. As for a swimsuit, you can purchase one here. Or, rather, I will purchase one here for you. There is only one spring, not several, so it is a cogender pool."

"What do you mean, you'll purchase one for me?" I asked, suddenly very nervous about Kyoya seeing me in a swimsuit. Strange. I hadn't given it much thought in the Key World. But this was different. This was real life.

"You're my girlfriend, and this is a date. Don't worry. I'll buy something I find flattering on you."

"That's what worries me," I muttered.

He chuckled and grabbed my hand.

"It isn't a long walk. You won't need your chair."

"Why does your family own a healing spring, anyways?"

"Because my family is in the medical business. Why wouldn't they have a healing spring?"

Kyoya tugged me along behind him. He seemed...happy. He didn't seem irritated or upset at all. He wasn't putting on a fake smile at the Host Club. The little smile that turned up the corners of his lips was real.

Kyoya glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes, catching me looking at him. I blushed and looked away, and he laughed, stopping us for a moment.

"What are you so nervous about today? You were perfectly fine last week. What's changed?"

"It's nothing really. It's just that some girls are really affected by it when a boy tells them they love her. And some girls actually give a damn about hearing someone say that. So when a boy says it for no reason within a week of meeting a girl, well, it tends to tick some girls off or make them nervous."

"I don't say I love you just because I can. I don't say it to just anybody. I say it because I mean it. There are two people in this world I have said that to. You are one. My sister is the other. When I say I love you, I mean it. I am entirely serious about my feelings for you, Zak. I know it's irrational and quite possibly very foolish of me, as you have not returned the gesture. However, I will not hide my feelings for you. I love you. I knew when I saw your face in the school records that I would love you. I suppose my sister's ideas of true love are somewhat real. My feelings are the perfect example of her point."

I looked away from Kyoya's intense gaze and pressed my face into his chest. At first, he seemed surprised, but his arms wrapped around me. We sat there like that for what seemed like a long time.

When I looked up at his face again, he had a light smile, and there was that tender look in his eyes again.

"Alright. Let's go face the horror of letting you pick out my swimsuit. Just do yourself a favor, and don't pick anything pink. If you pick pink, I'm going to have to hit you."

He held his hands up in surrender, laughing as he said, "Alright, no pink. I promise. I don't think I want to get hit by the Boy Without Fear."

I snorted, and Kyoya took my hand again as we walked into the spring. The air was crisp and humid, and I could smell the scent of rain, as well as something else. Something that reminded me of Ryde.

"Is this a salt water spring?"

"Indeed it is. You have good senses."

I shrugged, and Kyoya pulled me into a set of glass doors. Inside the room, there were racks and racks of the latest swimsuits, and a glass counter with a cash register contained sunglasses and a few other beach type accessories.

"Besides the spring itself, this is an extremely popular place to get swimsuits."

"I can see that."

"Let's try over here, shall we?"

Kyoya tugged me past the male swim trunks and around to the girls' section. I didn't see any one piece swimming suits anywhere.

"You expect me to wear a bikini?"

"I'm afraid that's what about ninety-nine percent of customers prefer, so they don't sell one pieces here."

"You did this on purpose," I muttered.

"Of course I did. But, to be perfectly honest, I was mostly considering your injuries and pain when I thought of bringing you here. Seeing you in a swimsuit is a lovely little bonus."

I followed Kyoya as he inspected the various racks, with all sorts of styles and patterns and colors. And here I was, not even knowing there was more than one kind of bikini. Kyoya gathered five or six different things for me try on. I noticed that there wasn't so much as a dot of pink on any of them. He took me to some changing rooms, next, and I made sure the door was locked before I changed into the first one. It was a rather simple one, black bottoms with a black, purple striped top. I stepped out with my arms around my still gauze wrapped midriff, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't comment. He twirled his finger around, and I did a little spin.

"No. Try one of the others."

I went back in and picked another one to try. This one had short style bottoms, neon green with aqua trim. The top was the same colors, and fit like a sports bra. The aqua was more of a lace decoration over the green than anything. I stepped out again, feeling a little less self conscious.

"Yes, that's what I thought. The shorts look better on you. But that top isn't you. Try something different."

The next one I tried was black and green shorts, with another sports bra fitting top. The top was black, with green, disproportionate, randomly placed polka dots. I felt even more comfortable in this one, with it's simplicity. It didn't stand out too much, either. I did a little turn for Kyoya, and when I came back to face him, he was smiling.

"I like that one. I like it a lot on you. Let's get it."

I grabbed the ones we weren't getting and put them back where Kyoya had found them. Kyoya helped take the tag off the one I was wearing, and handed it to the clerk.

"No cost, Mister Ootori."

"I insist."

The clerk shrugged, not arguing, and rang it up. Kyoya paid in cash, although I couldn't believe the price. It was four thousand, one hundred forty-four yen. I followed Kyoya out mutely.

"I hope you like it. I'm going to go change. I have a locker here I keep a pair of shorts in. The spring is through there," Kyoya told me, pointing to a pair of large wooden doors that stood open.

Kyoya disappeared into a different door, and I went in alone, stopping at the edge of the water. It was three feet deep. I saw stairs leading into the water, and headed for those, figuring it would be easier on my body. I was only two steps in when Kyoya came out in a pair of dark purple swim trunks with black trim. He looked rather great, his messy hair hanging in his eyes and his abs in full light. He really was a hot bad boy.

There was no one else here. Kyoya and I were alone.

"You didn't have to wait for me."

"I wasn't, really."

Kyoya and I looked down the clear water, where I already stood two feet in, about midthigh.

"I'll keep you safe. Don't worry."

Kyoya hugged me from behind, and I stiffened like a spooked cat. I could feel his skin, his warmth, his heartbeat, his breath on the back of my neck.

I jumped away from him, straight into the water. I sank in, finding my feet, seeing everything with magnified vision until I stood up.

"What's the matter, Zak? Does that much contact bother you? Does my proximity unnerve you?"

"Yes…"

"You know what that means, don't you?" he whispered in my ear from right behind me.

I jumped, my knees clearing the water, turning in midair to face him. He was smirking, and I knew I looked foolish. I couldn't help it. I was alone in a spring, wearing a bikini with Kyoya in his swim trunks. What did he expect?

"Come here."

"No."

"I'm not going to molest you in a healing spring. For one, I care about you more than that. I'm going to wait until you're ready. Two, I'm not ready for that, and I know you certainly aren't, so I hope that puts your mind at ease. I'm nervous, too. And three, this is a healing spring. That would hardly be very proper. Now, would you come here?"

I stared at his face. He'd said it all so plainly. It didn't seem to bother him at all.

"What?"

"How can you be so calm about all of this?"

"Because I trust you. I know that I can tell you anything, and you will not use it against me. You are loyal to the people you care about, and you wouldn't be my girlfriend if you didn't care about me, now would you?"

"N-no. But how do you talk about things like that so openly?"

"I do not have the same trust problems you do, Zak. I understand your past, and how it affects you now. I understand that you can't trust me yet. I know it's all new to you. But I've known since I was a child who I could and couldn't trust. My sister was my only confident for many years, until I became friends with Tamaki."

I laughed. "Okay, now how did that happen? You and Tamaki are completely different people, and he seems to get on your nerves a lot. How did you guys ever become best friends?"

"It didn't come easy. That's for certain. I hated Tamaki at first. He was annoying, and seemed rather childish and unintelligent. My side of our friendship was entirely forced. But then, one day, he brought up his ideas for the Host Club. He was intelligent and thoughtful about the way he wanted to do it, who he wanted in it. And my view of him changed. Sure, he's annoying and idiotic and dramatic sometimes, but it's all a part of who he is. He just wants to be who he is, and doesn't care what anyone else thinks. I admire that about him. And, being friends with him got easier and easier from then. Here we are today, and he's my best friend."

"He really is rather flamboyant and exaggerates everything. But, I can see how Haruhi likes him. He's never afraid to try something new. And he only seems to want to help people."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, when my sister and I arrived, he didn't blink an eye when we accidently stumbled into the club, even though he was under the assumption that we were boys. And when that cart spilled on us, he was quick to have the Hitachiins get us clean uniforms and show us the changing rooms. And on the way home from the amusement park, he didn't seem to care about anything else except that I was upset. He kept trying to cheer me up. He just seems to want to make other people happy."

"Yes. That is exactly what he wants. He knows what it's like to be unhappy, so he aims to please others and keep them from being unhappy."

While I considered that, I realized I was still standing, but my leg wasn't bothering me. My rib didn't hurt either.

"Come here," Kyoya said softly, holding out his hand.

I took it, and he pulled me to him, sitting on a ledge I hadn't noticed before. He put me on his lap and held me, resting his head on my shoulder. I was content to sit like this for a while, in the warm water of the spring, safe in Kyoya's arms. I tilted my head, resting it on his, and let myself relax. I had this little warm feeling inside that I couldn't explain. All I knew was that I was happy.


	6. Can't Move On

I'd met Zakia's mother. She seemed kind. I couldn't imagine what Zakia and Furukia saw that made them hate her so much.

I couldn't say I wasn't jealous when I spotted Kyoya rolling Zakia out the door. It seemed like I was jealous everyday because of him.

Where had I gone wrong? Why had she chosen him over me?

Hikaru had taken Furukia out. I felt so alone. Haruhi and Tamaki were the only other ones here. They were being a couple and watching a movie in Tamaki's room.

Hikaru had left the phone with me, and several of the girls from the club had texted, but I didn't want to talk to them. There was only one girl I wanted to talk to.

It was around nine o'clock when my brother came into our room to find me laying on the bed, alone with my thoughts, staring at the ceiling.

"Do anything with yourself today, or was your mind preoccupied?"

"Is she back yet?"

"Well, that answers that question," I heard him mutter. Louder, he said, "No. At least, she wasn't in their room. She might be somewhere in the house."

I pulled the phone up to where I could see it. I decided to go ahead and send a short, friendly text.

_R u having fun?_

She didn't send an actual text back. Instead, she sent a few pictures. The first one was of her and Kyoya, standing front of a motorcycle. Their faces were hard to make out because of the helmets, but Zakia's eyes showed a clear excitement. The second one was of Ootori Springs, a healing spring owned my Kyoya's family. He'd taken the whole club there once. Another had obviously been taken by Kyoya while Zakia wasn't looking, but she'd sent it anyways. They were at what looked like a pet kennel, and Zakia was playing around with a puppy. It looked like a German Shepherd. She was holding it up over her head, smiling like a fool. The last one was of Kyoya, blindfolded, as Zakia held a fork of some food I didn't recognize to his mouth.

_Im glad. Wuts with the puppy?_

She sent another picture. This one was a screenshot of a message from her to Furukia over some app. It simply said:

**Foo:**_ Yes!_

**Zz:** _He's so cute! ^^_

**Foo:** _I can't wait to meet him. See you home soon._

So, the girls were getting a puppy? That was kind of sudden.

Then I remembered that first night Hikaru and I had stayed the night. We had talked about a lot of things. Zakia and Furukia had a pet turtle once, but it had died. They'd wanted a dog for Zakia and a cat for Furukia for a few years.

"The girls are getting a puppy?"

Hikaru looked over at me from the desk, where he was doing something on the computer. "Yeah. Zakia told Furukia that she just fell in love with him."

I nodded, going back to the picture of Zakia with the puppy and staring at it for a while.

'_You can always talk to her, as a friend…_'

The memory of Furukia's words were little comfort. How do you be just friends with the girl that you like? I put the phone away and rolled over, boredom quickly taking over and sending me to sleep.


End file.
